Hales and Cummins withdraw from IPL

Pat Cummins and Alex Hales have withdrawn from the 2023 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Cummins and Hales were set to play for Kolkata Knight Riders in the competition that starts on 25 March.

T20 World Cup winner Hales has withdrawn because of his workload, having also signed franchise deals in Australia, Pakistan and the UAE.

Australia Test captain Cummins said he wants to rest before the Ashes and 50 over World Cup in 2023.

Cummins, 29, has also taken over his country's one-day international (ODI) side after Aaron Finch's retirement.

"The international schedule is packed with Tests and ODIs for the next 12 months," he wrote on social media.

"I will take some rest ahead of an Ashes series and World Cup."

Australia have a Test series against West Indies in November, before series against South Africa and India precede the Ashes in July 2023.

The 50-over World Cup follows in India in October 2023.

Before all that, Australia face England in a three-match ODI series, which starts on Thursday in Adelaide, though Hales is not part of that squad.

That opening match comes just four days after Sunday's T20 World Cup final and England all-rounder Moeen Ali has described the timing of the series as "horrible".

In the summer, England Test captain Ben Stokes announced his sudden ODI retirement and said it should be a "wake-up call" to cricket's authorities.

England batter Sam Billings has also withdrawn from the IPL, saying he wants to focus on the County Championship with Kent.

England white-ball captain Jos Buttler has been retained by Rajasthan Royals, while Moeen will once again play for Chennai Super Kings and fast bowler Mark Wood has been kept by Lucknow Super Giants after missing the 2022 season with an elbow injury.

Punjab Kings have retained all-rounder Liam Livingstone and batter Jonny Bairstow, who missed the T20 World Cup with a broken leg.

Fast bowler Jofra Archer, who is looking to return from back and elbow injuries next season, has been retained by Mumbai Indians, while left-arm seamer David Willey will return to Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Australia T20 captain Finch was released by Kolkata Knight Riders, while Sunrisers Hyderabad have left go of New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson.

Source: BBC